Our shared vision

This international partnership of thirteen communities led by Plymouth, Massachusetts and Plymouth, England, has worked together on the historic 400th anniversary since 2014. All partners have their own vision of the importance of this commemoration to their respective nations and the world.

Although cultural emphasis and local aims may vary to some degree we are united in our vision to celebrate the enduring shared values of freedom at the heart of our national identities.

Our Vision

We are united in our passion to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower sailing in 2020 and to celebrate our shared values of freedom, democracy, humanity and the future.

Our Mission

To inspire a lasting legacy of kinship and transformational change within our communities which is founded on our shared values, and history.

United Kingdom

2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower, an event of global significance resonating down through those four centuries. The Mayflower Pilgrim’s principles of individual liberty and freedom first took root in the UK, were nurtured in the Netherlands and then flowered in America. Their values have since guided all modern democracies.

As a story of adversity and welcome, written across borders and continents, the commemoration of their voyage offers the opportunity to learn from our shared past and inform our joint futures.

Mayflower 400 is a five year programme of community, creative, educational and capital investment, celebrating our humanity, our international solidarity and our diversity of culture and belief. It will explore, explain and give thanks for the Pilgrim’s impact on world history, refreshing the lessons of their legacy.

Leiden, Netherlands

Leiden, a city and municipality in the province of South Holland in the Netherlands, are also closely involved in the commemoration of the Pilgrims journey due to the city being home to the Pilgrims for over 10 years and where they eventually left in the Speedwell in 1620.

Our Values

FreedomThe liberty of the individual to pursue their beliefs

HumanityWe do not discriminate, we are for everyone

ImaginationIn the spirit of the Pilgrims we think big, we improvise and we innovate

FutureWe always look forward, building knowledge and legacy

United States of America

America is poised for an anniversary of international significance: the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower voyage and the founding of Plymouth colony. The crossing of the Mayflower in 1620 and the relationship between the Pilgrims and Wampanoag are iconic moments in America’s narrative which ultimately changed the course of world history.

While this is a global commemoration, it marks the beginning of American democracy. Told for the first time from both the England and Wampanoag perspectives, Pilgrim and Native America descendants are working together to create a 400th anniversary that is historically accurate and culturally inclusive, connecting individuals across the globe through educational, cultural and heritage events, exhibits and programmes.

Through the themes of exploration, innovation, self-governance, religious freedom, immigration and thanksgiving, it will honor a collective past and engage people worldwide in building a brighter future.